The sorption of Tartrazine. Allura Red, Sunset Yellow and Indigo Carmine from aqueous solutions onto the strongly basic anion-exchanger (Lewatit MonoPlus M-600) of dimethylethanolamine functional groups and styrene-divinylbenzene matrix was investigated. The experimental data obtained at 50,100, 200, 300 and 500 mg/dm(3) initial concentrations at 20 degrees C were applied to the pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order and Weber-Morris kinetic models. The calculated sorption capacities (q(1,cal)) and the rate constant of the first-order adsorption (k(1)) were determined. The pseudo-second order kinetic constants (k(2)) and capacities (q(2,cal)) were calculated from the plots of t/q(1) vs. t, 1/q(1) vs. 1/t, 1/t vs. 1/q(t), q(t)/t vs. q(t) and 1/q(2-)q(t) vs. t for type 1, type 2, type 3, type 4 and type 5 of the pseudo-second order expression, respectively. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.